AN AMAZING SUCCESS STORY

Whitney High School Alumni and one of my former art students,

Julie Su,

was recently sworn in as our United States Deputy Secretary of Labor.

I was trying to remember which class of graduates she was a part of 

so I did a bit of math.

  I'm guessing it was the Class of 1987.

I,

 and the rest of the Whitney High Community are bursting with pride!

She has always been the companion of the underdog 

and fights hard to bring in better working conditions here in America.

 Su was born in Wisconsin as a second generation immigrant. Her mother came to the United States on a cargo ship from China; her father is from Taiwan.^[8][9] She graduated from Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos, CA. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.^[10]

Su started her legal career at the Asian-Pacific American Legal Center. She was a Litigation Director for Advancing Justice L.A., a non-profit civil rights organization.

Su was the lead attorney for the El Monte Thai Garment Slavery Case.^[11] As the lead for civil case brought by the El Monte garment workers, Su successfully pursued a legal theory that held manufacturers responsible for the wage theft, as well as the operators who actually kept the garment workers captive. She and other activists also petitioned for the workers to be able to stay in the United States under a visa program for those who cooperate with the government in criminal trials. This led to the creation of the T-Visa for victims of human trafficking.^[12]

During Jerry Brown's tenure as governor, Su headed California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE).^[5] Under Governor Gavin Newsom, Su served as Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.^[4]

As my husband says "She knows some big players".

Pretty darn cool I say.

Here are Julie and her daughter's,

 AnLing and LiMei, 

getting their selfie taken with Joe and Kamala.

How about those apples??

LiMei was also a very talented art student of mine a few years back.

One of the perks of teaching at the same school for 39 years,

you get to teach the parent and their children.

Love that!!!!

You can read more about Julie here on Wikipedia.

LOOKING BACK...

 thru some older photos I found these,

a couple favorites that I'd completely forgotten about.

I love this first photo from 1985,

although it was just too long ago for me to remember the names.

My ex, Inars,

 my then boyfriend,

 had taken me shopping to outfit me with a whole new wardrobe.

He told me my other clothes looked like I was a school marm,

which I guess I was.

Hee hee

He had worked at a men's store and knew fashion.

Actually he still does,

know fashion.

Still irons all his shirts and looks real spiffy.

LOL

Check out that classic 1980's blazer with shoulder pads.

Ha!

In fact,

 I just recently sold it to a theater thrift shop.

I could barely get my arm inside the shelve,

I was so tiny back then but didn't even realize it.

Isn't that always the way?

The date on this one was 2006 when my current Principal who I adored,

Patty Hager,

unbeknownst to me,

 nominated me for Teacher of the Year.

This was a competition for the California League of High Schools.

All the nominees had to give a speech in front of their peers which terrified me.

I hate public speaking with a passion!!

By the time it was my turn I had inhaled at least 3 Jack Daniels and coke.

But it was still intimidating and quite awkward.

BTW,

it was a huge relief when I didn't win 

since I would have had to gotten up and give another speech.

Phee Shuuu

This next photo is of a drawing one of my students gifted me of me.

I was trying to remember who drew it,

and sadly couldn't read the signature to help jar my memory.

But I always thought it was fabulous and such a fun interpretation!

As I was posting this next photo

 I suddenly remembered this alumni's name,

Ryan Chen.

I couldn't tell you what school year I had him in, 

but he came back to visit probably about 2010

and let me know he'd followed his heart and went into the arts.

I just love seeing my students all grown up, successful and happy!

And don't think I didn't notice how gorgeous he was.

LOL

But damn I look pregnant there :(,

the pounds are starting to stick.

And this last one was at Xmas time 

and one of my last photos with my students in my classroom.

Probably from the school year 2017-18.

And I'm so mad at myself for not remembering her name,

although my gut is telling me it was Jenna.  

But what I do remember is that she had to take a Fine Art to graduate 

so she picked my Crafts class and wasn't very thrilled.

But she found to her surprise that she was incredibly crafty,

did many noteworthy pieces,

and ended up enjoying herself.

I think I also remember she had enlisted in the Military Service

 and was going straight to Boot Camp upon graduation.

Why is it I remember the background info but not the names?

Crazy hard getting old.

But so fun to look back and try to put names to faces.

SHORTY SOCK PEEK

Almost finished with Shorty Sock #1 from the skeins you saw spun up in last post.

Remember,

 these spinning batts came from Lindsey at Artifacts of Appreciation 

as well as her pattern for Shorty Socks.

I learned two new techniques:

a twisted 1 by 1 rib for the cuff,

 and a Dutch Heel Turn.  

Loved the new heel turn technique but hated the twisted ribbing.

The heel turn adds a bit of extra fiber for wear,

but the twisted rib,

well it was twisted

 and hard to get my needle point into each stitch to knit and purl

thru the back of every stitch.

But ohhh does it look nice!

For the cuff I used the dyed BFL/Silk braid spun and plied on itself.

For body of sock Lindsey's spun batts plied on themselves,

and for the heel,

the braid spun and plied with Lindsey's batts.

What I wasn't pleased with is the irregular stripping of sock body batts.

So for the second sock I'm going to experiment more with mixing the 5 batts up more frequently as I spin.

Not super concerned that they won't exactly match when knitted up,

since they are just to wear around the house in the evenings.

At the same time 

(because I have to have at least 10 or more projects going on at one time),

I'm restoring this older spinning wheel which was donated to me by 3-D art student and Alumni Rachel Strong.

Trying to remember when she graduated,

sometime in the early1990's I believe.

She was one of my Crafts superstars back in the day 

and really loved spinning her own yarn.

So her parents bought her this Ashford wheel 

to take with her to Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

After she graduated,

 it came back home with her to Cypress, Ca. 

where she volunteered her time in several Elementary schools 

showing the kids the how-tos of spinning.

But of course life got too busy for her to spin,

a child as well as the Owner/Dance instructor of her own Strong Dance Studio.

Needless to say this wheel has some history behind it.

It was stored in my kiln room 

(which was always a big mess about to be cleaned up type of a place)

for many years and has since lost some of its parts,

namely a Footman and it's Treadle.

But with the help of my husband 

I'm pretty sure we could fabricate those,

 unless,

 anyone out there has any other ideas?

I just finished gluing up the bottom of the Mother of All

so I'm pretty excited about that.

And have watched a few videos about taking the wheel completely apart

to de-rust and restore parts and finishes.

I can do this!

After all,

I put my first Ashford together 40+ years ago from scratch,

by myself,

and it only took me a full day.

HA!

MORE THANKS GOING TO...

to all my ex-students who continue to check on me, 

visit me

 and be in my life.

Because of technology it makes it so easy to keep in touch.

I'm so thankful for that.

Here is Alumni Nicholas Tudor,

 who I believe graduated in 2013ish, 

who came to visit with his his lovely girlfriend.

Nick had taken Ceramics I & II with me 

and hadn't thrown on the potters wheel since he graduated.

He was curious if he remembered how to do it.

Learning to throw a pot is an incredibly difficult global skill to learn,

thus it's the same as riding a bike.

Once you learn,

 your muscles remember the steps and feeling.

So as you can see Nick took to it like a duck to water as they say.

Just look at that smile on his face.

Doesn't get any better!

Here I am with art alum as well as Art Instructor,

 Jordan Joyce.

I believe he graduated Whitney in 2011 0r 2012.

He went on to study art at Cal State Long Beach with famed Fiber Artist

Carol Shaw-Sutton.

I ran into Jordan at the retirement party of our beloved Drama Teacher,

Jodi Improta.

He participated in several of Jodi's productions

and he is the grandson of one of our favorite retired teachers and administrators,

Gary McHatton 

It was wonderful to catch up with him.

I was so hoping he would be the one to take over for me when I retired.

He really wanted to come back to Whitney to teach

 since her practically grew up there,

hanging out as a youngster with his Grandpa.

But it was not to be,

our Principal had other ideas.

Happily,

 Jordan was hired to teach art at a High School in Azusa, Ca.

which is a town right below the San Gabriel Mountains (near Pasadena)

So I'm thrilled for him and he's on his way. 

Gosh, 

I've known Jordan since he was in Elementary School,

 and taught him art from 7th grade until he graduated Whitney,

6 years.

Happy Thanksgiving and much love to my thousands of art students around the whirled.

You will always be in my heart.

A GIFT

Ten years ago former Ceramics student Bill Sevedge,

Class of 1984,

built this blog for me and taught me how to use it.

Before then I rarely used the computer.

I was scared of it,

not having grown up using it.

He dropped by for a visit recently and we talked about how much I've learned

since he gifted me this blog site,

and I wanted to give back to him in appreciation.

I asked him to pick one of my current demo. pieces.

He chose one of my favorites,

this black beauty.

It was thrown last school year for the Intermediate Ceramics students 

to show them an Altered Vase Form.

After completely turning back the lip of the pot on itself,

I stamped the shoulder with the head of a large acorn from the cabin.

To finish the piece I stained it with Red Iron Oxide 

and then poured our Black glaze into the inside

then partially dipped the piece for outside coverage.

I was really pleased with how it turned out,

and was so happy to gift it to Bill.

I frequently think of Bill and how grateful I am to him.

He was one of a handful of students to reach the Ceramics IV level back in the 80's.

He enabled me to connect to so many artists around the world thru my blog,

and to be able to share my students with them.

Thank you Bill. 

I hope you occasionally check my blog

and are proud of your student.

:)

CONGRATS...

to my dear friend and ex art student,

class of 1994,

Wendy Hertel,

on her retirement from our Armed Forces after 21 years of service in the Air Force.

Wendy was trained to speak fluent Chinese,

and was put into service working top secret for all those years.

She was never able to tell her family or friends what her job was,

and even now after her retirement her lips are still sealed.

Wendy traveled the world where she was stationed in Hawaii twice,

South Korea,

Afganistan,

Maryland (USA)

& Monterey, Ca.

I asked where her favorite place was thinking she'd say Hawaii,

but no,

 it was Monterey along the California coastline.

But she just spent this past week driving across country to New Orleans to visit her mother,

then up she will go north back to Maryland where she has chosen to live.

It's where all her friends are now that she made in the Air Force.

Wendy took at least 5 of my art classes back in the day,

several levels of Ceramics and 3-D art.

When she came to visit the school recently,

I sat her down at one of the potter's wheels, 

and she was still able to use remember how to use the wheel

and threw two large bowls.

Those global skills stick with you for life!

It's the coolest thing ever!!

Wendy with all her best friends,

including our Science/Biology teacher Aileen Perry

(second on the right)

who came back to Whitney to teach.

I wish you the best Wendy, 

you are one of the most positive people I know,

your energy is infectious and your love of the arts is equal to mine.

I have also been touched and thrilled with your surprise visits over the last 21 years.

Can't wait to see you again when you come back into town.

Enjoy your retirement and find a ceramics studio where you can throw lots of pots!

Send photos please.

I love you so very much!!!

xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox

ANOTHER SHOUT OUT...

to Helen Park, Sarah Chang & Eileen Lee,

Whitney alumni who graduated this past year.

Thinking about you girls,

and missing your sweet smiles and creative energy.

Can't wait for you 3 to drop by and tell me everything.

Love to you all!

xoxoxoxo

ALUMNI ADVENTURES/FIRSTS

2016 Alumni Hapshiba Kwon,

moved this summer with her entire family from Cerritos, Ca. to Old Lyme, Connecticut

while she attends prestigious Amherst in Massachusetts.

This winter she has joined the Outing Club 

and went on her first Mountaineering trip to the White Mountain Range in New Hampshire.

Hapshiba tells me that this year she is going to push herself to try new experiences,

and this one sounded a bit out of her comfort zone,

so perfect! 

In her own words 

" It was absolutely breathtaking (pictures attached), and I wanted to give up often (!!!) but had so much fun and even met a few new friends along the way. 

I'm thrilled to travel with you on these adventures thru your pictures Hapshiba,

and to be able to share them with your Whitney buds.

More please!

WE SAY GOODBYE...

to one of my all time favorite art students,

Syracuse University Sophomore,

Karisma Dev.

Her lil' sis Avanthi took her to LAX last nite to catch the red-eye back to New York.

From there she will rent a U-Haul to drive all her stored belongings back to her new digs,

a town home she will share with a good friend and fellow Architecture Major 

that she met last school year.

Karisma,

you have been in my heart since you walked into my classroom as a 7th grader.

Your body of artwork continues to impact & inspire the young ones passing thru here on this blog.

I'm so happy you were able to give me a couple of hours with you yesterday before you had to leave.

I had a blast telling & showing you the new crafts assignments I've cooked up for this year.

Kaili & I will look forward to seeing what you will create in your Ceramics class this sememster.

I think that was the only class you didn't get a chance to take with me.  ha ha

Love you to the moon & back beautiful woman!

FRENCHIE

My girl,

alum Kaili Hamada,

class of 2015,

blowing her heart out on the French Horn,

on the field for the University of Hawaii.

GO KAILI!!!!

SHOUT OUT TO DAPHNE CHIANG IN GEORGETOWN

My girl,

2015 Alumni Daphne Chiang,

is in her first semester at prestigious Georgetown University in Washington , D.C., 

and loving every second of it.

She's making a great group of new friends,

and visiting the sites,

Her class load is an interesting mix of classes from Disability Studies, 

Microeconomics, 

Religious Studies (the Problem of God),

Chinese III,

Operating Informational Management Systems,

to Ethic Entrepreneurship.

Daphne tells me her days are definitely engaging.

In addition,

 she has joined the Ballroom Dance Team

 and is headed into her first competition with her partner here.

She tutors two days a week for underprivileged children,

many of whom have just arrived in the U.S. and speak no English.

And she has also joined a consulting organization on campus

 that works with social businesses and non-profits,

helping others to give assistance to people in need. 

Wow, 

this is one busy young woman.

Daphne told me that it's so beautiful in D.C. right now.

The leaves are starting to change and fall is in the air.

Hoping for some of that here in the So.Cal.  :)

Know Daphne,

 that we couldn't be prouder of you  here at Whitney.

You are already touching so many lives.

Love and miss you like crazy!

ALL TIME FAVORITES

Alumni Steve Bermundo,

 Class of 1989,

 dropped by the other day for a visit.

I haven't seen Steve since he graduated and it was such a pleasure to see him again.

He was one of my best drawing students back in the day.

We had just recently reconnected thru FB, 

but it was even better to see him in person.

He lives up in L.A.,

 and is a professional dancer,

as well as still dabbling in the arts.

I told him he should come back and teach here when I retire.

Hint, hint!

Shout Out...

to YooBin Han.

Hope you don't mind me lifting this pix from your FB profile  :)

It was wonderful to see you yesterday.

I almost didn't recognize you with your grown out blue-violet hair and your preppy skirt.

Adorable!!!!

It's thrilling to know you will be keeping art in your life with your double major at 

Kenyon College in Ohio.

Thank you for thinking of me and stopping by for a visit,.

You are in my heart forever.

Love you!